Trapped Behind Bars (5)

After Jiang Xuan and Long Zhan both departed, Jiang Yun walked up to me, narrowed his eyes, and scrutinized me closely. He asked, "Little Xiao, what extraordinary ability do you possess? Why do both the Ninth Brother and Long Zhan protect you to such an extent?"

I replied, "This servant has no extraordinary abilities. It is simply that the Ninth Imperial Highness and Lord Long believe this servant has been wronged, while Your Highness the Crown Prince remains entirely in the dark. Perhaps this was the true culprit's objective all along."

"Shut your mouth!" Jiang Yun said angrily, flicking his sleeve. "Do you take this Crown Prince for an utter fool? You all treat me as an idiot, expecting me to believe whatever you say? I trust my own judgment. Someone, proceed! Be mindful of your restraint, just ensure he remains breathing!"

The elderly matron gave a cold, sinister smile and said, "Rest assured, Your Highness. This old servant has served in this palace for many years, and I know countless methods to loosen a person's tongue without ever endangering their life. It would be best for Your Highness to step back; this old servant fears this lowly eunuch's blood might stain Your Highness's garments."

"Hm!"

Jiang Yun retreated two paces, and the matron stepped right in front of me. "Little Xiao," she said, "will you speak or not?" Waving the pair of tweezers in her hand, she continued, "The ten fingers are linked to the heart. You could barely endure it when just one was dealt with. There are still nine fingers left; do you truly intend to keep holding out? His Highness the Crown Prince has shown immense mercy. You would be wise to simply state the truth and be done with it."

"Do your worst. I will never utter a single word of surrender."

The matron chuckled. "Though merely a eunuch, you certainly possess some spine. But in my hands, such backbone is utterly worthless."

Without further idle talk, the matron raised the tweezers and signaled to the accompanying eunuch. The eunuch seized my hand once more, and with swift, ruthless precision, the matron ripped out the fingernail of my left middle finger.

This time, I nearly lost consciousness. Cold sweat poured in layers from my forehead as I fought the agonizing pain, feeling as though I might grind my teeth to dust.

"Well, well. This little eunuch truly has some grit. I have disciplined maids and eunuchs for many years, and rarely does anyone endure it like this. But I have my own ways of dealing with you."

The matron lowered the tweezers, turned around, and fetched a basin of water.

"I wonder what it feels like when these raw wounds are immersed in salt water?" The matron gave another glance to the eunuch, who grabbed my wrist. As the matron brought the basin closer, he forced my hand directly into the water.

"Ah—" I ground my teeth and let out a low roar. The pain finally became unbearable, and I plunged into darkness.

"Little Xiao, hold on. I will come to rescue you." It felt as though Jiang Xuan were speaking right beside my ear.

"Little Xiao, you must not die. I said I would keep you safe." It felt like Long Zhan talking to me.

I did not want to die either, but I truly could not hold on any longer. Whenever such moments arrived, I inevitably thought of my mother. She had brought me into this world, yet never allowed me to experience a single day of happiness.

I disliked blaming heaven or cursing fate, but at that moment, I genuinely wondered why such trials repeatedly befell me. I had never intended to harm anyone; why did others constantly drag me into their schemes?

"Little Xiao, your life belongs to me. I forbid you to die, so you must not die!" Jiang Xuan's domineering voice echoed in my mind once more.

Jiang Xuan. Jiang Xuan. For over a decade, I had only wished to survive, to one day rise above my station and make those who looked down upon me view me with respect. I had believed there was nothing left in this world truly worth caring about—that I would simply return whatever kindness others showed me twofold. Yet now, I had met you, and it was as though my life suddenly found a purpose to protect. I could not be completely honest with you, nor could I walk beside you as a normal man and woman might. Even so, though these were things I could never hope to attain, I had never regretted meeting you, nor had I ever regretted falling for you.

To encounter you within the depths of this imperial palace gave me the strength to keep walking forward. This ordeal concerned not just me, but you as well. I could never allow Jiang Yun to implicate you in this.

I could not die. Even if subjected to ten thousand forms of torture, I could not die. I would engrave every single torment deep within my heart, and one day, someone would pay for it all.

A sudden chill swept over my body, and my consciousness abruptly returned. Yet I still lacked the strength to open my eyes, feeling only that my entire body was cold and damp.

Suddenly, someone pinched my chin hard, followed by a burning pain across my cheek. A sharp voice pierced my ears: "Since you are awake, stop pretending. Open your eyes!"

Sure enough, I had returned to reality. Opening my eyes, I was met with the malicious face of the matron.

She smiled coldly. "You ungrateful dog, do you know the reality now? Will you confess quickly? If you don't, torments like this will keep coming. Is the taste of a fate worse than death pleasant?"

I simply looked at her in silence, not uttering a word. She could torture me endlessly, but she would never break my will.

"You have tried for so long to no avail. Do you expect this Crown Prince to doubt your competence?" Jiang Yun seemed to have lost his patience as he spoke to the matron.

"Your Highness, please remain calm. This dog is already on the verge of yielding. No one has ever escaped this old servant's methods."

"Very well, hurry up."

"Yes!"

Having been rebuked by Jiang Yun, the matron naturally accelerated her pace, forgoing the need for questions after every single blow.

She picked up the tweezers again and stood before me. "I lack patience, and the Crown Prince has even less time. Little Xiao, do not blame me; you brought this upon yourself. Grab his arms! I refuse to believe he can endure having all ten fingernails torn away!"

The eunuch seized my arms, and I could see blood still dripping from my two mutilated fingers.

Just as the tweezers drew near, a thunderous shout suddenly rang out: "Stop!"

The matron and Jiang Yun turned simultaneously. It was Long Zhan.

"Head Guard Long, was this Crown Prince not clear enough with you earlier? What is the meaning of you coming here again and again to obstruct me? Your duty is to protect His Majesty's safety—do not forget your station!"

Long Zhan glanced at Jiang Yun, then looked down at me, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness misunderstands. My coming here is not to obstruct Your Highness, but upon His Majesty's decree."

"His Majesty?"

"The truth regarding the miscarriage of the Crown Princess has been uncovered. By imperial order, I have come specifically to summon both Your Highness the Crown Prince and Little Xiao to the Huayang Palace."

"The truth has been found? Has someone confessed?"

"Your Highness need not be anxious. Once we arrive at the Huayang Palace, all will be clear."

"Very well." Jiang Yun cast a glance at me and strode out.

"Release him at once," Long Zhan ordered the eunuch, before stepping forward to snatch the tweezers from the matron's hand and tossing them aside.

Terrified by Long Zhan's overwhelming presence, the matron dropped to her knees and pleaded, "Lord Long, spare my life! This old servant was merely following orders!"

"Get out!"

"Thank you, Lord Long!"

The eunuchs untied my bonds, and I nearly collapsed to the floor, having depleted every ounce of physical strength.

Long Zhan hurried over to support me, saying, "I will carry you out."

"No need, Lord Long!" I quickly protested. "This servant can walk by himself." With others still present, it would be improper to be seen like this.

"Very well!" Realizing my intent, Long Zhan refrained from forcing the matter.

Though walking was agonizingly difficult, since Long Zhan had come by the Emperor's decree, I trusted that a turning point had arrived.

Along the way, Long Zhan's expression appeared somewhat grim, but I dared not ask too many questions, deciding to wait until we reached the Huayang Palace to find out.

Upon arriving at the Huayang Palace, I found the Emperor, Grand Dowager Luning, and the Empress already assembled.

"This servant pays respects to the Grand Dowager, the Emperor, and the Empress!"

The moment the Emperor laid eyes on my battered and bruised state—struggling to kneel and failing to stand, with blood still wet on my hands—he frowned deeply and questioned Jiang Yun, "Yun'er, you went to investigate this matter, and this is the method you used?"

Jiang Yun froze for a moment before stammering, "Father, this son..."

"Your Majesty," the Empress stepped forward to interject, "Your Majesty must understand Yun'er's state of mind. The incident involving Feiyue dealt Yun'er a devastating blow. Moreover, this lowly eunuch has a sharp tongue; without resorting to some measures, the truth could never be brought to light. Your Majesty, Yun'er was merely impatient, but it was all for Feiyue's sake."

"Hm!" The Emperor said nothing more to Jiang Yun, turning instead to address the courtyard, "Since everyone has arrived, Feiyue, if you have anything to say, speak now."

I never expected that the one who would reveal the truth was Han Feiyue. Did she truly know what had happened?

As the Emperor finished speaking, Han Feiyue emerged from the inner chambers.

She had made no attempt to dress or adorn herself, wearing only a plain, unadorned white robe. Stripped of the vibrant red garments she customarily wore, she seemed devoid of all color.

"Feiyue," Grand Dowager Luning called out with a heart-wrenching expression the moment she saw her.

"Grand Imperial Grandmother, Feiyue is fine; you need not worry." Having said this, she looked at me, taking in every single wound covering my body. She then bowed slightly toward the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, your daughter-in-law has words to share."

"Feiyue, your constitution is weak. Sit down at once."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but your daughter-in-law is guilty and dares not sit."

"Guilty?" The Emperor frowned. "Feiyue, what are you trying to do?"

With an expression of utter calm, Han Feiyue knelt and said, "The cause of this miscarriage is that I orchestrated it entirely by myself."

At her words, everyone present froze in astonishment.

Shocked, I stared at Han Feiyue, completely unable to fathom that she herself had been unwilling to keep the child. It could not be true! From all her actions in recent days, I knew how deeply she cared for this baby. Why, then, would she do such a thing?

Recalling Long Zhan's grim expression on the way here, it seemed he had already discovered Feiyue's actions. Yet by doing this, while Feiyue might save my life, she was destroying her own and allowing the Empress and her faction to achieve their desires.

Grand Dowager Luning exclaimed, "Feiyue, why would you utter such nonsense? This is not something to be spoken of lightly!"

Han Feiyue continued steadily, "Grand Imperial Grandmother, it is Feiyue who is unfilial. I told you once before that what Feiyue yearns for is a life of freedom outside these walls. Though I cannot gallop across the battlefield like my father, neither do I wish to grow old and wither away within this imperial palace. I tried my utmost to live a proper life alongside His Highness the Crown Prince, yet I simply could not do it. I refuse to be fettered by this palace, and even less do I wish to be bound by this child. Therefore, taking advantage of the time when Sixth Brother came to deliver blood-bird's nest soup, I added safflower to the pigeon soup. Little Xiao knew nothing of this. Once the child was gone, Feiyue would finally be completely free."

"Audacious!" Before Grand Dowager Luning could respond, the Empress snapped angrily, "The child in your womb was the Imperial Grandson! How dare you casually cast him aside simply on a whim because you claim you did not want him? Even if you planned this single-handedly, this little eunuch must have assisted you. You have remained here in the Huayang Palace; where would you acquire safflower? Was it not procured for you by Little Xiao? You are guilty by your own admission, and Little Xiao cannot escape his complicity either!"

The Empress's opportunistic maneuver sought to eliminate both Han Feiyue and me in one stroke. The actual truth hardly mattered anymore; since Han Feiyue had voluntarily confessed, no one would bother to investigate further.

"Empress Mother, your daughter-in-law has already stated that this was entirely my own doing, having nothing to do with Little Xiao. Had he known, he would certainly have tried to stop me. Furthermore, Your Majesty may simply ask Sixth Brother whether he delivered the blood-bird's nest soup to me."

"Jiang Chen!" the Emperor called out.

"This son is here."

"Is what Feiyue claims the truth?"

Jiang Chen replied, "What Third Sister-in-law said is indeed the truth. Having obtained the blood-bird's nest, this son brought it to Third Sister-in-law to nourish her health. When I arrived, Third Sister-in-law was resting, so Little Xiao came out to receive me. After exchanging a few words with Little Xiao, I caught the fragrance of pigeon soup and inquired about it, learning that Little Xiao was indeed brewing pigeon soup at the time."

The Empress pressed further, "Did you see Feiyue sneak into the kitchen?"

Jiang Chen answered honestly, "This son did not."

The Empress sneered, "That being the case, it does not prove Little Xiao did not assist Feiyue. Furthermore, since Feiyue was pregnant, her movements would hardly have been nimble. If you claim she slipped the safflower in while Little Xiao was speaking with the Sixth Prince, how could the Sixth Prince have missed it? Feiyue, with so many suspicious points in this matter, you will find it difficult to save this lowly dog's life."

"That is because I am the one who added the safflower."